Andaz Mayakoba: Review of Luxury Riviera Maya Resort

The luxury resort is nestled among mangroves in a gated complex with three other luxury resorts and is the absolute perfect getaway for couples, friends, or families alike. When heading to Cancun or the Riviera Maya area, there are hundreds of resorts to choose from. But let me spell it out for you: Mayakoba is different. You are not just vacationing in Cancun when you stay here… you are getting an entire experience. If you know you know… there’s a reason people who visit can’t shut up about it! 

It is one of the 4 resorts in the prestigious Mayakoba community, along with Fairmont, Rosewood and Banyan Tree. Also in this community there is one of the best golf courses in the destination, beautiful jungle walking/biking paths and “El Pueblito” which means little town. In El Pueblito you will find a small arcade, a cooking class studio, some shops and a few more casual restaurants.

Like all of the Mayakoba resorts (and neighboring Grand Velas), Andaz is split between the “lagoon” section and the “beach” section. The lagoon section, or the jungle section is where the lobby is as well as a large portion of the rooms, a large pool area, a few restaurants, the gym and the spa. Down by the beach section there are more rooms, another large pool, more restaurants and a beach club.

We call Andaz the “cool younger cousin” of the Mayakoba complex as it feels like the most “hip” of the 4, it is luxury without being pretentious. Each Andaz (and Mayakoba is no different) really focuses on the area that they are in, trying to pick up and showcase Mayan art, food, treatments, etc. The goal is to absorb the local culture and highlight the very best of the region. For example, their lobby looks like a cenote, the Mayan rituals in the spa, the activities are Mayan based and their cuisine they try to get locally to help support local communities

The rooms themselves don’t feel super luxury-more minimalist Mexican but with luxury touches and amenities. The bedding/toiletries feel luxury and the room has everything you could want or need. The mini bar is fabulous and comes with snacks, and the snacks and non-alcoholic drinks are complimentary. The way they describe the rooms on their website I feel is quite accurate “The guest rooms and suites at Andaz Mayakoba are inspired by nature with open layouts and a color palette reflective of stone, sand and water; they are flooded with natural light and feature bright pops of color and refined Mayan decor.”

Andaz is an EP (not all inclusive food and beverage) hotel at heart, with an all inclusive plan which is (at the time of writing) $185++ per adult per night, $92.50++ per child 6-11 per night and 0-5 is free from the kids menu. If you do want to add this option it needs to be added for the entire stay and is referred to as their “open kitchen” plan.

There are 5 restaurants on property including a Vegan restaurant and their signature restaurant, Casa Amate which is a definite do not mis. The food was great and some of the best we’ve had in the region. It was definitely elevated/better than your typical all inclusive experience. Alcohol was more top brands and great mixology, especially in Casa Amate! The resort holds 2 of Mexico’s Top 250 Restaurants by Guía México Gastronómico.

Service was fabulous everywhere and they couldn’t do enough for you. We were eating dinner outside on the beach one night and in the middle of the meal it started to rain and they quickly and efficiently moved us and our food (and all the others diners) to another location-it was impressive!

The pools are beautiful and lots of space to spread out. There was no towel game (at least when we were there!) and the pool cabanas at the lagoon section pool are free and first come first serve (and there were plenty!!). The beach was absolutely beautiful, perfect turquoise water and white sand. They do have 3 different kinds of sargassum barriers and during the worst of the season have a boat collecting it before it comes to shore, and a whole team dedicated to it’s removal. There are no guarantees and sargassum can still evade it, but they truly try harder than anywhere else we have seen. The resorts beachside loungers are very unique. They are a combination of a Bali bed and a daybed. Very comfortable but not what you traditionally see. What we like is a single bed for those who want their own personal space or a double option for those who want to share with another person. They do have umbrellas as well.

The spa is excellent and you must try the cacao ritual. We toasted the cacao beans, peeled them, grinded them and made them into a sort of putty that when mixed with milk or water can be used as a facemask. You are then taken into a relaxation area where the mask is applied-it is a full circle amazing experience. Most of the treatments at the spa are based on Mayan rituals. The gym was lovely and fully equipped with technogym equipment and 3 miles of jungle walking/jogging and cycling paths throughout the complex.

Be sure you reserve a complimentary boat ride! Not to miss is a private eco cruise boat tour with breakfast. You get to see all the other resorts from the water, the golf course, possible crocodile sighting and other marine life. It is beautiful, romantic and unique.

On the Mayakoba complex there are activities that guests can partake in such as cooking classes, basketball, tennis, archery and golf. El Camaleon is one of the best golf courses in the destination and also take in the Jim McLean golf school which has single and multi day courses as well as courses for juniors.

Biggest drawback-take these with a grain of salt because finding a potential negative at this property was not easy. The resort in terms of number of rooms is not large but its spread out over a large property so getting between the different sections can take some time. Being a luxury property, the food is not inexpensive and to go elsewhere like Playa del Carmen will be an extra cost

Ideal guest-30s to 50s couples or families who want a higher end experience without breaking the bank. Someone who appreciates luxury but not the pretentious aspect. Someone who doesn’t want to dress up but wants good quality. Someone who wants to be in the Mayakoba complex but at a lower price point than it’s neighboring hotels. Someone who wants better food and service than a typical all inclusive, but doesn’t want to have to worry about the bill after each meal (choose the all inclusive plan here).

Vibe-quiet, chill, music but not everywhere, and not overly loud. Young couples, older couples and lots of families. Uncomplicated and laid back luxury.

Activities: some are complimentary, some have an additional (small) cost: food and alcohol tastings (for example mezcal and chocolate pairing) , simple cooking classes (like guacamole making, esquite making), eco boat tour, hat painting, bike tours, embroidery, etc.

Kids club: They have a baby club from 3 months to 4 years and 4-12. The kids club is free but some activities have an extra charge

Beach quality-Most often noted as excellent. Soft white sand entry, beautiful turquoise water, walkable in both directions. Was narrow but Mayakoba has invested millions in their beach and keeping it to this quality. If you’re familiar with this area you know seaweed can be a huge problem. As such, the Mayakoba complex has placed three different kinds of barriers along the ocean to catch some of the seaweed. There’s also employees working non-stop to shovel up as much of the seaweed as they can. Mother nature can change things but seaweed is often at it’s worst early Fall.

Budget type-mid range luxury-luxury

Accessibility: They have 3 accessible rooms which are all suites. 2 in the lagoon area and 1 in the beach area. There are no elevators at the resort. The buildings are 3 levels, ground, lower level and upper level, so if someone does not need an accessible room but has mobility issues, request a ground level room.

Size-with only 214 its on the smaller size, but it’s spread out over a large amount of acres

Connecting rooms: there are suites that connect to make bigger suites as well as basic rooms. They all connect through an external hallway, and not through the middle. They have a whole brochure showcasing their connecting rooms, floor plans and layouts.

Dining reservation policy-only 2 of the restaurants require reservations (Casa Amate and Sotaventa), the others do not.

Nightlife-they are “light” on nightlife at Andaz. They do have a DJ at the vegan bar which will be turned more into a bar environment every night from 9pm to midnight (this is by the beach). During high season they have more going on at night.

Walkability-let’s talk about 2 kinds. Walkability within the resort-in each area (lagoon/beach) its very walkable and easy. Between the 2 sections most people do not walk as its sort of far, but there are golf carts going around all the time to transport guests around the resort and between the sections. There are also bikes available all around the resort to use at any time throughout the property and the whole Mayakoba community.

Exchange privileges-there are no traditional exchange privileges but guests can dine at the restaurants at neighbouring resorts, and Andaz will provide either car or boat transportation to get there

Pet friendly-yes, up to 2 dogs allowed if they don’t exceed 75 pounds, extra fees apply.

Events: they only do 1 wedding per day. They are certified in Indian weddings. They can do Jewish weddings and bar mitzvahs. They are very focused on the details for the events they host.

The Andaz Mayakoba is an amazing luxury resort located less than an hour from Cancun International Airport. The resort is perfect for every kind of traveler whether you are seeking relaxation, adventure, or a mix of both. You’ll love the serene lagoon and feeling like you’re in the middle of the rainforest with the Caribbean sea just a short bike ride away. If you are really seeking ultra luxury and next level service I would stay at the Banyan Tree or Rosewood but overall, I would return to the Andaz Mayakoba, especially with a family or large group because it satisfies a variety of price points and interests.